Manuel Pellegrini's side head into their decisive Champions League encounter against Roma without injured leading scorer Sergio Aguero, with likely replacement Edin Dzeko having played just 27 minutes in the past month.

And with Stevan Jovetic having sat out last Saturday's 1-0 win over Everton as a precaution, City go into tonight's encounter in the Eternal City with their strike force depleted and short on goals, match-fitness and form.

Dzeko has scored just twice in the Premier League this season and has yet to find the back of the net in Europe. Jovetic has also failed to score in the Champions League this season and has managed to plunder four in the Premier League.

Those goal returns look lamentable when set aside Aguero's tally of 19 from 20 appearances this season, the Argentina striker having almost single-handedly kept City in the title race and in with a shot at the Champions League last 16.

Yet few, if any, teams would be able to adequately replace a player of Aguero's unique gifts and influence, but City may live to rue the decision to allow Negredo to go out on a season-long loan to Valencia, without bringing in a replacement.

Toil: Edin Dzeko has struggled in front of goal this season (Image: Michael Regan - The FA)

It is no secret the Spain striker and his wife hankered for a return home after becoming unsettled in Manchester, with City eventually giving in to the 29-year-old's request to be allowed to leave.

The timing of Aguero's loan move to Valencia – on transfer deadline day – left no time for City to draft in a replacement to bring their striker quota back up to four along with Aguero, Dzeko and Jovetic, to give them the insurance of adequate cover.

By mid-January in his debut season at City, Negredo had plundered 23 goals in 32 appearance, marking him out as the Premier League's most prolific scorer. But a shoulder injury sabotaged his season and Negredo failed to find the net again after January 21.

He has taken his time to get going for Valencia, but plundered his first goal for them in a 1-1 draw away to Granada at the weekend. Negredo's dramatic dip in form may, coupled with his desire to leave, may have persuaded City they were better off without him, hence their decision to allow him to go.

With Aguero now out and doubts over the fitness of Dzeko and Jovetic ahead of tonight's decisive encounter, City's failure to repalce Negredo, when it was known all summer the player was unsettled and wanted away, looks negligent in terms of their squad structure.

When Negredo left for Valencia, Pellegrini declared himself happy with the three forwards he had at his disposal, pointing out that Yaya Toure could also play in a more advanced role as a second striker, thus providing him with sufficient cover.

But Toure, too, is unavailable tonight, suspended from City's most important game of the season following the straight red card he was shown and three-match ban he incurred in a 2-1 home defeat to CSKA Moscow.

Goals from Manchester City strikers 2014-15

Sergio Aguero

19

Stevan Jovetic

5

Edin Dzeko

4

All competitions

Against that backdrop of injury and suspension, Pellegrini can only hope his players get the job done tonight in the absence of Aguero and book their place in the knockout stage of the Champions League, by which time their star man should have recovered from the knee injury that has sidelined him at such a crucial stage of the season.

If not, the decision to leave themselves exposed, with just three orthodox strikers, may be one Pellegrini and the City hierarchy come to regret if their Champions League campaign ends prematurely tonight.